Pemberley Mansion
by fanofNC
Summary: Pemberley- home of the Darcys and Bennets. A series of scenes from the home of two families. Sort of a background story for Betting on Will and others in the same universe. Very low-angst. (Note: Betting on Will has been rewritten because I know it wasn't written well.) PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!


**Pemberley Mansion**

_Modern AU_

"Say, look at this, George." Thomas Bennet gestured at the flyer in his hand.

George Darcy looked at his fellow history professor with interest. "What is it?"

"It's a beautiful mansion called Pemberley that's up for sale. Considering the age, the price is quite worth it."

George raised his eyebrows at the price. "That's not a small amount."

"No, but you and I both know its worth is a lot more."

"You're right." George eyed the flyer. "Do you want to check it out? I can go with you, but I probably won't buy it. I can't afford it right now, and I don't need all the space for just Anne and me."

"See, that's the thing. I can't afford it on my own, either. Nor do Fanny and I need such a big house. But it's such a good deal, so I thought that we could buy it together."

"Together?"

"Yes. I'm assuming you are planning to have children."

"We are." George looked thoughtful. "Alright, let's go and check it out."

* * *

They bought Pemberley as soon as they could meet up with the seller, and within the month, Mr. and Mrs. Darcy and Mr. and Mrs. Bennet moved in to the mansion.

* * *

"Oh, isn't he a darling!" Fanny cooed at a gurgling baby William.

"He is, isn't he?" Anne replied with a smile as she cuddled her son.

Fanny sighed with contentment as she rubbed her own stomach. "I can't wait for it to be my turn."

"We can count on having chaos once they both reach the fussy phase," Anne laughed.

"I hope the two of them will be best friends, Anne, just like we are."

"I hope so too."

* * *

Two months later, Fanny Bennet gave birth to not one, but two baby girls. And so, Jane and Elizabeth Bennet joined the Pemberley population.

* * *

"Papa!" Lizzy cried, running into the library happily. Unsurprisingly, she was dragging Will with her.

"Hello, Lizzy, Will." Mr. Bennet smiled at the four-year-olds. "What brings you to the magnificent library today? Where's Jane?"

"Janey is playing with Mary," Will announced. "Lizzy said we have nothing to do, so we came here."

"Can you read to us, Papa?" Lizzy asked excitedly.

Mr. Bennet looked at them thoughtfully. "Would you like to learn how to read instead?"

"Oh, Papa, can we?"

"Yes, of course. Will?"

"I want to learn too, Uncle Tom," he replied with a bright smile.

"Good." Mr. Bennet sat the two children down and gave them both a piece of paper and a pencil. "Let's start by teaching you the alphabet. This is 'A', like in 'apple'..."

* * *

By the end of that week, Lizzy and Will could write their own names and the names of almost everyone in both families. Jane has begun her education as well.

* * *

"So, children, what should we watch tonight?" Mr. Bennet asked one Friday for their weekly (double) family night.

"A princess movie!" Mary suggested.

Lizzy shook her head at her five-year-old sister. "No! Princesses are so _stupid_."

"They're not, Lizzy!"

Mr. Bennet gave Lizzy a look. Lizzy sighed. "Fine, they're not stupid. They're just so _helpless_ and have to wait for a prince to save them from an evil man. Or stepmother."

"Yeah, Papa," Will chimed in. "How come the girls can't save themselves?"

Mr. Darcy looked at the two children, amused. "Some stories have girls saving themselves, Will, or even saving everyone else. We read about some, remember?"

"Joan d'Arc!" Lizzy exclaimed happily. "But Uncle George, all the movies that we watched didn't _have_ Joan d'Arc or someone cool!"

"What if we play a Disney movie-" Mr. Bennet nodded toward Mary and the younger girls- "but with a strong woman?"

* * *

Ten minutes later, the popcorn was made, the pillows were fluffed, the blankets were dragged into position, and the happy arrangement of parents (Darcys and Bennets), seven-year-olds (Will, Jane, and Lizzy), five-year-old (Mary), three-year-olds (Kitty and Lydia), and two-year-old (Georgie) finally settled down to start Mulan.

* * *

"I don't want to do my homework anymore," said a dramatic Lizzy one day.

"Is the work too much?" Mrs. Darcy remarked with amusement.

"Yes." Lizzy frowned at her worksheet. "I already _know_ fractions! Uncle George taught me and Will- sorry, Will and me last year!"

"Lizzy, he taught you early. Other third graders haven't learned fractions before."

Lizzy sighed. "I know, Auntie Anne." Will came back from the bathroom at that moment. "Oh, Will! Did you finish your fractions?"

"Yes."

"How?" Lizzy whined. "I'm tired of doing these easy things!"

"Well, if you already know them, you can finish them quickly, and we can go, right?"

Lizzy perked up. "Oh! You're right!"

* * *

Lizzy finished the rest of her fractions in ten minutes, with Will encouraging her from the side. This habit of keeping each other on track while studying would last them a lifetime.

* * *

"Hello, Richard," Lizzy greeted one day as Will's cousin walked in through the front door. "Where's your brother?"

"Alex? He's at home."

Mary walked out to the front and grinned at the sight of the visitor. "Oh, hi, Richard!"

"Hello, Mary!" Richard replied.

"Lizzy," said Mary, turning back to her sister, "can you help me with my project? I can't find Jane."

"Sure. Find yourself some food, Richard."

Will came in through the door as Richard was fishing a cookie out of the cookie jar. "Oh, Richard. What are you doing at Pemberley?"

"Missed the noise. Our house is too quiet."

Will nodded, taking a cookie for himself. "I understand. Georgie is nine now, and with everyone else older, you'd think it would be quieter. But nope!" He laughed, eating his cookie.

"Why weren't you with Lizzy?" Richard reached for another cookie. "I thought you two went everywhere together. Darn, these cookies are good."

"I went to put the hose away. It was lying on the lawn."

"Ah." Richard looked at Will with a thoughtful look. "Say, I've never quite understood the dynamics of the Pemberley household. Two families that are closer to each other than family. Isn't it weird among you kids?"

Will shrugged. "Not really. We've been like this since we were born, so this is what normal looks like to us. We all have a close relationship with everyone, you know? But it's built on different things, so they're not interchangeable."

"But there's seven of you. What happens when you want to pair up?"

Will grinned wryly. "The girls kick me out." He looked thoughtful again. "Well, no, we can't really do anything in pairs because of the age difference, but it's a little awkward for Mary. Everyone else has a twin, and Georgie has me. We do all take turns partnering with someone else, though." He narrowed his eyes at Richard. "Why do you ask?"

* * *

That day, Richard began to talk more with Mary, and the two of them were close since. Richard came over from Matlock House down two blocks almost everyday.

* * *

"Will you go to Winter Formal with me?"

"Um, I'm very sorry, but I'm going in a group," Jane said with an apologetic smile to the shy seventh grader standing next to their lunch table.

"It's okay," the boy mumbled and shuffled back to his own group of friends.

Jane cast a remorseful look after him. "Oh, I feel so terrible. He looks so sweet!"

"Janey," Lizzy laughed, "you don't have to come with us, you know."

"But I already told someone else that I'm going with you guys! It wouldn't be fair to the first guy if I went with him," Jane protested.

Mary shook her head. "You're too nice, Janey."

"Why didn't you go with the first guy, anyway?" Will asked.

Janey blushed and looked down. "Um, he wasn't exactly who I wanted to dance with." Seeing teasing laughter in the others' faces, she hastily put in, "he's a nice guy! I just thought he could go with someone else since we've always gone together."

Lizzy grinned. "Admit it, Janey, you didn't want to go with the first guy."

Jane chose to take another bite of her sandwich, and the others burst out laughing.

"Lizzy?" Mary ventured eventually after a comfortable silence had settled over the four.

"Hmm?"

"Are you guys the 'popular kids' in this school?"

Lizzy frowned. "I suppose. Though I have no idea how that came to be."

"I suppose that me being the captain of the baseball team helped," Will added thoughtfully. "And Janey is the prettiest girl in the whole school. And Lizzy and I have straight A's."

"And you're all so nice and kind to everyone," Mary sighed.

"Why'd you ask, Mary?" Jane inquired.

Mary shrugged. "I'm worried because many people in my grade come talk to me just so they can have a connection with you guys. And you're all graduating this year, so what if people aren't nice to me after you leave? What if they hate me for being close with you guys and not introducing them to you?"

Jane reaches for Mary's hand. "I'm sure that won't happen, Mary. You can find a circle of friends for yourself and ignore the disrespect from others."

"I'll tell the guys on the team to look out for you," Will promised.

"We'll come back and beat up the bullies for you if you want," Lizzy grinned. Jane gave her a reproachful look.

* * *

It turned out that not many people resented Mary for her "connection". Instead, they tried to stay on her good side, much to Lizzy's amusement.

* * *

"Lizzy?" Will murmured one day as they were watching international news on the TV. _If you want to watch TV, at least watch educational or informative stuff_ was their mantra.

"Hmm?" Lizzy muttered sleepily from her position snuggled against Will on the couch. A blanket wrapped around her made her resemble a burrito.

"Go to homecoming with me?"

Lizzy looked up, confused. "Don't we always go to school dances together? We always did in middle school. Isn't high school freshman the same?"

Will cleared his throat. "Just the two of us this time, Liz."

"As... friends?" Lizzy asked slowly.

"If you want." He shifted uncomfortably, then mumbled, "or more."

Lizzy sat up slowly. "More? Like... dates?"

Will looked away. "Look, Lizzy if you don't... feel that way, you can just say no and I won't bother you anymore, I swear-"

"How long?" Lizzy interrupted.

"Does it matter?" Will raked a hand through his hair, still avoiding Lizzy's eyes. "If I had to pinpoint it, I'd say when your cousin came over and tailed you for the whole darn weekend he was staying at Pemberley. When we were thirteen." He started to stand up. "I'm sorry, this was a mistake. If I could turn back time and take my words back I'd do it. Just... just please don't ignore me."

"Will."

He turned back, but was still not looking at her.

Lizzy reached for his face and gently turned his head back to look at her. Will met her eyes reluctantly. "Yes." At his slightly confused face, Lizzy grinned. "William Darcy, I will go to homecoming with you as your girlfriend."

Will laughed delightedly, picking Lizzy up and spinning her around. He set her down and leaned his forehead against hers. "Thank God. Can I kiss you?"

Lizzy nodded, and the two were agreeably engaged for a few minutes.

"I was so scared that you don't feel the same way," Will whispered when they were cuddling on the couch again. "Especially when I realized that I love you." Will blushed. "I'm sorry, was that too quick? You don't have to say it back just because I said it, Lizzy-"

"I do love you, Will." Lizzy gave him a brief kiss. "I'd say it's not too quick. We've known each other since I was born."

"When did you love me?"

"I've always loved you, Will, but not always as a... boyfriend." She grinned at the word. "Maybe around the same time, when we were around thirteen. You know, when girls started to go for you," she said with a laugh.

"Good." He leaned forward to kiss her again.

Someone coughed behind them. They whirled around to see Mrs. Bennet standing in the doorway with an eyebrow raised. "Is there anything you two have to say for yourselves?"

Lizzy blushed. "We're officially dating, Mama."

Mrs. Bennet nodded. "Good." She turned away, then stuck her head back into the doorway. "Oh, by the way, we parents have already discussed this, and we agreed unanimously on one thing: you are not allowed to sleep with each other until you're married." Smirking at their flaming faces, Fanny added, "to prevent any... complications."

* * *

Dinner that night was awkward and embarrassing for the newly minted couple, as everyone else was bent on making jokes about them and, ahem, beds and other pieces of upholstered furniture.

* * *

Lizzy stared at the envelopes sitting on the table. "I'm nervous."

"There's nothing we can do to change the results, so we should just open them and get over it." Jane sounded like she was trying to convince herself, though.

"Will?" Lizzy asked timidly. "What if we don't get into the same college?"

Will shook his head. "We'll make it work. But we should actually face the results first."

Lizzy took a deep breath and took the top envelope. Yale. Will reached for an identical one in his pile, while Jane reaches for UCLA. "On a count of three, alright? We'll open the first one together."

Three seconds had never seemed that long or short or dreadful or exciting. There was a frantic tearing of the seals, and urgent scouring over the contents of the letters.

Lizzy shrieked and threw her arms around Will's waist. "_I got into Yale!_"

Will was grinning and hugged Lizzy tighter. "So did I!"

They looked back at Jane, who was looking at them with a very amused but bright smile. "I got into UCLA!"

Lizzy pounced on Jane. "Janey, that's great!" She dragged the other two out of the room. "Now let's go tell everyone else!"

* * *

Everyone was overjoyed for the three going to college, though they did establish that Lizzy and Will were to stay in student dorms. Different dorms, of course.

* * *

Lizzy and Will walked side by side in silence through the trees.

"I missed you," Lizzy sighed. "Even though I saw you yesterday."

Will leaned against her as they sat down on the grass. "I missed you too, Lizzy."

"Two more years after this coming summer," Lizzy mused. "Then we can live at Pemberley again and see each other every day!"

They sat in silence for a while before Will stood up abruptly, pulling Lizzy up with him. Before she could react, he was down on one knee. Lizzy's eyes grew wide, and her hands flew to her mouth.

"Lizzy, I had every intention of proposing on graduation day and making it romantic, but I don't want to wait anymore. I love you more than words can describe, Elizabeth Artemis Bennet. Will you marry me?"

Tears were threatening to spill out of Lizzy's eyes. "Yes!"

She threw herself into his arms, and they enjoyed a few moments of blissful kissing.

"Let's get married this summer," Lizzy suggested excitedly. "Then we can rent a place near campus together!"

Will hugged her to him again. "Anything you want, darling."

* * *

The parents were very amused, of course, but agreed to a simple wedding to be held during their summer return to Pemberley.

* * *

And so Lizzy and Will were married and spent their junior and senior years at Yale much more happily. Three years after graduation, they had their son, who was the first of four children. When they both became professors at the same university their fathers used to teach at, they returned to live at Pemberley with their brood, where things had gotten quieter and emptier with the growing up of the seven children. The grandparents doted on the new generation, and it was a happy arrangement for all.

**AN: Thank you for reading this story! Please tell me what you think, and as a reminder, this is a companion background story to _Betting on Will_, which has been rewritten and posted as _Caroline, Ruler of Netherfield_. Both can stand alone, however. In fact, I plan for a total of four pieces in this universe, and they can all be read independently.**

**In case it wasn't clear, Pemberley is somewhere in the US. The most obvious hint was Yale and UCLA. Winter Formal and Homecoming are dances in the US that you might encounter in middle school (or junior high or lower secondary school) and/or high school (or senior high or upper secondary school). And in case you're wondering, the middle school that I went to included the grades 6~8. Mary was in sixth grade and the other three eighth during the popularity scene.**

**By the way, I borrowed "Artemis" as a middle name from Missterious Princess's story _Of Emerald, Amethyst, and Lapis. _It's a great read!**

**Here's another story recommendation. Are you looking for a unique Modern AU? Enjoy a British Darcy? Want to see ODC engaged in the world of sports (albeit retired from professional playing)? Do you want to read something that does not strictly follow the hate-Wickham-Hunsford-scandal-love plot? Most importantly, are you eager for some back-and-forth banter between ODC? If any one of the above describes you, I recommend _Off the Pitch _on Archive of Our Own. It's a personal favorite!**

**Thanks for making it to the end, and please review!**

**Edit: there were a few grammatical errors pointed out to me that I corrected :). Thank you!**


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